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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: track · scale · leaves · mouse · key · snap · branch · court

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. court — of a king
  5. track — a song
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. key — in music
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. court — for sport
  10. branch — a division
  11. track — to keep track
  12. snap — to click
  13. court — of law
  14. scale — size or range
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. scale — in music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — for a lock
  20. track — a path
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. mouse — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com